


Blur

by ABitNotGoodieBag



Series: K's SamBucky Playlist [2]
Category: Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Captain America Sam Wilson, Drunkenness, Fluff and Angst, Idiots in Love, M/M, Pining, Sam Wilson Feels, jealousy all around, sam thinks way too much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23567413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ABitNotGoodieBag/pseuds/ABitNotGoodieBag
Summary: Sam thinks he needs an aspirin, better yet, he needs to get up outta here.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson
Series: K's SamBucky Playlist [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630990
Comments: 1
Kudos: 43
Collections: Sambucky Bingo





	Blur

Sam groans as he swims back into consciousness. Both his brain and his tongue are unpleasantly fuzzy and he wants nothing more than a cool washcloth, a cold glass of water and complete darkness and silence for the next decade. He is too old to be drinking himself into terrible hangovers. He knows the importance of staying hydrated and yet, here he is again, wishing for death to claim him. Sam can certainly say that he has never been the best at making good decisions.

As Sam debates the pros and cons of moving from his comfortable cocoon, he becomes aware of the sounds of soft snores uncomfortably close to him. He feels the body heat of someone else underneath the sheets of his (is it his?) bed. He also realizes _very_ suddenly that he doesn’t have a single stitch of clothing on.

Shit.

Sam tries to think of who could possibly be behind him snuffling softly in slumber. The fact that he’s naked probably means that they are too and Sam could slap himself for the second time in as many minutes. The pounding in his head doesn’t help at all with his mood and Sam may have finally found the reason to quit drinking altogether. Waking up with strangers in bed is definitely something that is part of his twenties, not to be done when he’s staring at the front steps of forty.

Sam curses the fact that he is the first one to wake up and debates whether or not moving will wake his bedmate. His memories of the night before are patchy at best and the more he tries to piece together his time at the hotel, the more alarmed he becomes.

* * *

It was the one year anniversary of the battle against Thanos and Sam would rather have been anywhere else. The country was not as accepting of Sam as they had been of Steve. Sam didn’t want to think too closely about why exactly that was (because it was way too easy to get angry and what would that solve?), but there were days that he just wished his detractors would say what they really meant, and not use their carefully-coded acrimonious checklists on why Sam would never be Steven Grant Rogers. Every single decision Sam made was examined under a microscope in the media. /r/notmycap can’t go a week without some viral thread castigating him and slightly less often, Bucky (It’s always the ‘Winter Soldier’ or ‘The Asset’ though, they seem _determined_ to remind the world that Bucky had a violent and unsavoury past).

If the bad press wasn’t enough, the list of full time Avengers was embarrassingly short. The Defenders did their own thing, as did Reed’s little group. It almost wasn’t worth anyone’s time trying to talk to Charles Xavier unless the subject was mutant rights (not that there was a problem with that, Sam definitely knew how stupid people could be around anything they perceived as 'different'). No one wanted to work with the reformed psychopathic (his words, Sam wasn’t convinced) mercenary, well, Peter was trying to tell everyone that he wasn’t so bad but Sam wasn’t touching _that_ with a ten foot pole. Sam, Bucky, Rhodes, and Wanda were all that was left of the Avengers Initiative. Sure they had emergency and consulting members, but the fact was, Sam was barely captain of anyone.

Sam’s cheerless thoughts had him spending his time at the bar, after quickly making the initial rounds to greet everyone. He had to admit, Pepper knew how to throw a party. While there weren’t a lot of full-time Avengers, Thanos had united the entire world against him, and so the rented ballroom (in the most fashionable of hotels) was full-to-bursting. He scanned his eyes across the room taking in the small groups that didn’t quite mesh together. Thor and his new traveling companions, the Guardians of the Galaxy stood in a loose circle laughing entirely too loudly. Thor finally found a group who also lacked inside voices, Sam was happy for him. He looked better than he did that day. That too-long day that Sam went to battle in the fields Wakanda and ended the fight on the remains of their battered home in New York five years and mere seconds later. 

Sam was glad he wasn’t around to see Thor's slow slide into misery. He had heard Steve (over the phone, Sam still can't quite look at his wrinkled face) tell him the stories of Thor’s grief at losing his father, brother, best friend, and planet within a week only to lose half of existence the very next day. Sam couldn’t imagine that pain.

Sam dealt with a different sort of grief. He had missed five years. Five years of his mother's life, five years of his niece’s life. Unfortunately so had her mother, his sister. Sam would never understand how his mother dealt with losing both of her children for five years, believing them gone for good. His house and belongings were all long gone, leaving him and Bucky to scramble to find an apartment together in the aftermath on the ‘Unsnappening’ (fucking twitter called it that and unfortunately it seemed to be stuck). He refused to put any more stress on his mom by moving back in when Kayla had to get used to her mother being back. Besides, it was just easier to live with Barnes. He didn’t have any memories of those five years, as far as he could tell no one did, but he couldn’t help but feel it in his bones that he had spent the time with Bucky.

Shaking his head to dispel that line of thought, Sam looked for his best friend. They had arrived together, as usual, but Bucky was quickly called over by Yo-Yo and Shaw, both of them eager to hang out with the soldier (he’d taken to being a SHIELD operative surprisingly well, all things considered, he even had _work friends_ , Sam was proud of him).

Turning back to the bartender, Sam ordered an old fashioned. He had recently discovered that between the two of them somehow _Sam_ was the hipster, even though Bucky had refused to give up his ridiculous (fucking _beautiful,_ if Sam was being honest) man bun. Sam refused to listen to modern music (unless it was Beyonce, but really, it’s _Beyonce_ it goes without saying) and read his paper at the table instead of staring at his phone all the time. Sam couldn’t help it, he was an old soul and he had endured Bucky’s teasing goodnaturedly. He absolutely drew the line at handlebar moustaches and penny-farthings though.

“Birdman number two!” Clint said in what he probably thought was an acceptable volume, clapping Sam on the back.

Sam startled and grinned as he saw his fellow bird-themed hero. “Barton! How is life treating you?”

“Can’t complain.” He said with a cheeky smile as he leaned toward Sam and said in a conspiratorial whisper, “If I do, Laura will give me the old boot. But I’d deserve it because she is the world’s greatest wife.”

“Damn right I am.” Said Laura as she appeared next to her husband.

Sam sipped his drink and watched them bicker gently. He loved that in a couple. Sure the schmoopy ones were cute and all, but life is always better with laughter and it was clear the Barton’s were full of laughter. They excused themselves after two rounds, Laura saying that she was tired and Sam was once again left to his thoughts.

Before he could sink into them too deeply, his eyes landed on Bucky standing next to a scowling Valkyrie and taking a swig out of Thor’s comically enormous flask (Just because he was doing better didn’t mean that he wasn’t still struggling). Sam smiled slowly at the blush that spread across Bucky’s face after his second long pull. Seems like Thor brought the good stuff.

Sam, armed with his bourbon and a liquid loss of inhibitions, (after the second old-fashioned, Sam wondered why he was even pretending to do anything other than get hammered and stopped bothering with anything more complicated) pushed away from the bar and headed in Bucky’s direction. 

“Hey there my good people.” Sam smiled lightly as he reached Bucky, Thor, and Valkyrie. “Is this the 5000 proof section?”

Bucky rolled his eyes fondly after his last pull and passed the flask to Val, Thor letting out a brief sad noise in his throat, knowing he wasn’t going to get another swig any time soon. “Sure is, pigeon. This is the cool kids table and you can’t sit with us!”

“Ten points to Hufflepuff for correct use of Gretchen Wieners.” Sam said as Bucky looked confused. Belatedly, Sam realized that they hadn’t gotten to the Harry Potter series yet, Bucky picking both Star Wars and Star Trek (every single iteration, Bucky was obsessed) instead.

“Friend Falcon-Captain! It feels good to have a night of revelry with all of my shield-broth-” Thor stopped, his smile faltering slightly. “My shield-mates! Let us toast!”

Sam tossed back the last few drops of his bourbon while Thor waited for Valkyrie to pass him the flask. Bucky just snorted at Thor’s naivete and headed towards the bar to grab a less alien drink. He reappeared a minute later with three glasses and handed two to Sam and Thor respectively. They clinked their glasses and drained half of their short tumblers as Valkyrie finally drained the flask.

Bucky and Valkyrie let out loud (and surprisingly deep) twin belches sending Thor and Sam into a fit of giggles. Bucky joined in their laughter while Val just rolled her eyes and walked off in the direction of the bar, no doubt in search of a bottle or two to occupy her hands.

“What’s so funny?” Shaw asked, coming up behind Sam and throwing his arm around Sam’s shoulder and resting his chin on the other one. Yo-Yo circled around to bump robotic shoulders with Bucky causing Sam an immediate sharp flare of jealousy in his gut. Yo-Yo and Bucky shared too many similarities for Sam to not see her as a potential threat for Bucky’s time and affection. 

“Bucky was just showing us how to play the tummy pipes.” Sam said, his words slightly slurred. His laughter stopped abruptly.

Sam’s smile fell away and Bucky noticed immediately. He glanced briefly to Shaw draped over Sam before he was somber as well, leaving Thor confused as to what exactly was happening.

“Oh-kaaaay.” Shaw drawled as he picked his head off of Sam’s shoulder, leaving his arm curled around Sam's neck. Sam was confused, Shaw was Bucky’s friend, they’d met maybe 4 times total, but if Sam were to guess, he’d bet he was less intimidating to use as a prop than the once-king of Asgard or a super soldier.

Yo-Yo raised an eyebrow. “It seems like we need to catch up with you guys. I could smell you from a foot away.”

Shaw hummed in agreement even though he was clearly ahead of Yo-Yo too if his inability to stand up straight was any indication. “Valkyrie went off for more, but I fear that she does not intend to share anything she finds.” Thor said, sounding vaguely disappointed. “So I must go and fetch us another round!” He looked very proud of himself for thinking of that as he turned and strode away.

“He is _amazing_.” Shaw sighed, “What’s his deal anyway? Why doesn’t he stay here full-time?”

Bucky glared at Shaw and Sam watched on in confusion. So now it’s not just Yo-Yo he has to worry about, now Bucky has a thing for _Thor_? Sam (not for the first time) thinks sadly, that he’s just a man. He’s no Inhuman, he has no enhancements, he’s from plain old Harlem, not some mythical planet, and he can’t call lightning with a thought. He’s just Sam and maybe all he would do is slow Bucky down. So zoned out, Sam jerked when Shaw and Bucky laughed, making the room wobble unpleasantly. His obvious distraction just caused them to laugh harder while Yo-Yo’s lips curled into a small smile.

Sam, who realized he was the butt of some joke, flipped them off, making Shaw start all over again, finally taking his arm off Sam’s shoulder to cradle his midsection as he bent forward, cackling madly.

Thor returned with a tray full of shot glasses. “Let us drink!”

“Damn big guy, you do not mess around, do you?” Shaw sounded awestruck as he straightened up and Sam was not at all bitter about everyone’s obsessions with Thor.

Yo-Yo and Bucky grabbed two apiece, taking them in rapid succession just a hint of redness on their cheeks indicating that they were drinking anything other than water.

Shaw grabbed two shots, holding one out to Sam smiling wide, “Us normies gotta stick to our singles. I can’t believe we’re more meat and no tech and still manage to be the lightweights.”

Sam laughed at Shaw’s dig, even as he seethed inside at Bucky leaning down to murmur something to Yo-Yo, eyes on Sam the whole time. Thor ignored all of them in favor of knocking two shots back one-handed, looking disappointed at their flavor.

Sam, now unable to remember exactly how much he had already had, felt that being upright was overrated and sat down, hard. Bucky glanced at him in concern, opening his mouth to ask if Sam was alright, but Sam glared back insolently and Bucky’s jaw snapped shut and he turned back to Yo-Yo who had been watching them in amusement.

Shaw grabbed two of the last four shots and again passed one down to Sam, shrugging. “To bad choices!” 

Sam quickly echoed the toast and gulped the offered drink before clumsily getting off the floor, not finding it comfortable craning his neck up at everyone. Yo-Yo ambled away, tray in hand, clearly off to refill it. Sam saw Bucky moving out of his peripheral vision, but by the time he turned his head to get a proper look, Bucky was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Sam squeezes his eyes shut as he realizes that the last person he can remember talking to was that irksome weirdo, Deke Shaw. Bucky had left him at the party alone with Shaw, clearly chasing after Yo-Yo. Sam is gripped by a combination of self-loathing and envy that almost chokes the air from him. He will never forgive himself if he has tumbled into bed with that asshole. This whole situation is entirely backwards. He’s pining after a grumpy, nerdy, absolutely gorgeous white boy from the past, not a strange, trouble-magnet from god-knows-when in the weird-ass future. 

Sam knows who he wishes it was behind him. Every day he tries his hardest to be the best friend (who is he kidding, he’s doing a great boyfriend audition and has been for _months_ ) to Bucky. After living together for almost a year, they have a certain bond, but not quite the type Sam wants. He thinks Bucky wants it too, most of the time, but Sam knows better than to try and rush something before its’ time. Sam’s father always told him that anything worth having was worth waiting for if necessary and James Barnes was definitely worth having.

The person behind him snores loudly once, before Sam feels a hand reach around his middle, drawing him back into a firm torso. Sam freezes immediately, afraid to look down and finally solve the mystery. The body he's trapped against is mostly warm. Mostly, because Sam can definitely feel the not-quite-cool smoothness of what Sam will bet everything he owns is vibranium against his shoulder blade.

Sam relaxes and very slowly, smiles. All of the hatred at himself for possibly ending up with anyone else leaves him as almost quickly as it came. He can't wait for Bucky to tell him everything. Or Thor. Or even Yo-Yo, even though Sam will make Bucky do all the talking if that's the route they have to go. Sam is willing to bet he has some interesting messages on his phone if he bothered to check it (If it was even still on at this point, who knows how late in the day it is). Knowing that he’s lying here with Bucky surrounding him makes the not remembering much easier. He has no regrets other than not committing every single detail of the previous night to memory to constantly replay over and over and over again.

Satisfied that it is indeed Bucky he’s woken up with (Sam breathes in deep and could slap himself for the third time, how did he not smell the traces of his own body wash? Bucky is always stealing it instead of using his boring bar of soap and smelling himself on Bucky drives Sam _crazy_ ) makes it easy to let his eyes fall shut and let the hangover pass. His best friend (and maybe, hopefully, probably, _finally_ more) is curled around him keeping out the noise and light of the world and Sam needs to sleep this hangover off. He smiles to himself as he focuses on the soft snores and drifts into a peaceful sleep. Sam knows that everything is going to be just dandy.

**Author's Note:**

> This (and Sometimes before it) went in a completely different direction than originally planned. But I'm down for the rest of the playlist. Because it's Britney, bitch.
> 
> Also: I’m still on the first season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so forgive me if I’ve butchered Yo-Yo or Deke.
> 
> SamBucky bingo square: did they or didn’t they?


End file.
